Control for gliding switches for overhead monorail tramways



June 8 1926. 1,588,244

S. H. LIBBY CONTROL FOR GLIDING SWITCHES FOR OVERHEAD MONORAIL TRAMWAYS Filed April 26, 1922 Inventor Sam H. lhibk g,

H His At'llornes Patented June 8, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAM H. LIBBY, OF ELOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONTROL FOB G'LIDING SWITCHES FOR OVERHEAD MQNORAIL TRAMWAYS.

Application filed April 26, 1922. Serial No. 556,656.

This invention relates to improvements in the control of switches for use in connection with overhead monorail tramways. or runways, on which traveling; cranes or hoists are operated.

It sometimes happens that the layout of tracks is such as to prevent the use of tongue witches, owing to short curves or confined space. In my prior Patent No. 1,078,051, dated November 11, 1918, I have described and claimed an arrangement in which the points or connecting sections of rails are secured upon a frame which slides bodily on ways transverse to the tracks. Any given rail sections may thus be alined with any given pair of stub ends of trackage. The

frame 18 is shifted by an electric motor controlled by a. limit switch which can be connected with the trolley conductor by the crane man on an approaching crane and is suitably geared to the motor so that it r0 tates therewith and breaks the motor circuit only when the gliding switch has reached the position selected by the crane man.

The present invention is directed to an improvement of my prior patented control.

The arrangement as shownand described in my said patent while perfectly operative leaves something to be desired for certain special conditions of which I shall mention one by way of example. In the patented arrangement, the motor circuit is closed directly by means of levers and contact shoes pivoted on each side or" the cab. Such a scheme necessitates conductors adjacent the stub ends of the monorail long enough to keep the circuit through the motor closed during the whole time that the gliding switch requires for its maximum movement, and furthermore requires that the operator maintain his hold on the contact lever until the gliding switch has completed its move- 11161111 to the desired position. In some runway layouts there are places where the switches and crossovers are so close together that afsufliciently long conductor could not be installed. y

In accordance with the present invention, I provide an arrangement whereby the conductors disposed on each side of a stub end of the tramway maybe comparatively short, and whereby the operator need only close momentarily a manually operated switch on a side of the cab so as to energize the motor to operate the gliding switch, the circuit for 1 the motor being maintained through the limit switch until the gliding-switch has reached the desired limit or operation. hen the cab is adjacent the short conductors on each side of a stub end of the monorail, it the operator desires that the gliding switch shall be operated, he need merely press a push button momentarily and then direct his attention to other matters The gliding switch will be operated by the motor until the proper connection of the monorail sections has been established by the glid- .tions, and Fig. 2 shows one end of a traveling crane. Referring to the drawings, the gliding switch 10 1s connected by an arrangement (not shown) so as to be operated by means of the electric motor which is shown as of the direct current type having an armature 11 and a split field winding having two oppositely. wound sections 12 and'13, one of the field winding sections being provided. for one direction of motor operation and the other field winding section forthe opposite direction of motor operation. The gliding switch 10 is adapted to connect the stub ends ofthe sections 14 and 15 of the monorail, as shown, or in its other position to connect the stub ends of the sections 1-1 and 16. r

The motor is controlled by means of the pair of electroresponsive reversing contactors 17 and 18, and the extent of the operation of the motor, v and thus the gliding switch is governed by means of the limit switch 19 which is operated synchronously with the movement oft-he gliding switch by any suitable means. The mechanical connections between the motor, the gliding switch and the limit switch have not been shown since those skilled in the art will readily supply a suitable arrangement. As indicated in the drawing, a pair of suitable power conductors extend along the monorail track and the comparatively short conductors 20 and 21 are disposed in the proximity of whi ch i s; closed by the operator.

--' is aduptcd to naljte engagement with the positive, power ronduetor and theshort conductor 20 and the contact 23 adapted to in; gement with the negatf'tee power j and the short conductor. 21 on the ude otthe monorail llhe push a 22.3 l at d. 1 1 pp i "sides oi thecab so that the operation of the glidinnswitch FY21! 3e in the direction detertli e;,p: r ti cul ar= push button switch 7 hen the re ver ng contactor fl'i", closes it esta bl ish esIa ntaini'ngicireuit for its winding through the 'auniliary 7 switch as- 'so ciategl with the contactor and the limit switch 19, and vhen the; reversingco ntactor l8 close/slit ablishes 'a maintaining circuit for its winding through the auxiliary switch 27' and the limit switch 19. v; I

Asthus constructed and arranged the operationot the invention is as follows: As sumethat the crane has moveclto such a position that the contact 22 in engagement with the short conductor 20 as shown in Fig. l and that the operator desires that the stub ends of the monorail sect .ons 14hand 16 shall be coiiiiectedby .meansfoftlie gliding switch 10. .The operator will close the push button SWitChiQf, thereby energizing the contacto r 1'1 to close tli roughfa. circuit from the 0 T plusconduc'tor, through contactsof the push button, 24-, contact 22, short conductor 20,

through the 'inding of the contactor 17 and the segments 28 and 29 of the limit switch 19 to the negative supply conductor. The contactor 17 inclosing, closes the auxiliary switch .26 that the winding of thecontactor. 17 is thereby maintained closed through the limit switch 19, through a circuit which is independent of the push button 24:. The push button 2% may then be released and the contactor ,17 will nevertheless remain closed. The closing of the contactor 17 energizes the motor through the split field secti on.;12 to operate the gliding switch and the limit switch 19 synchronously therewith until the segment 29 of the limit switch breaks contact with its corresponding contact finger. This will be when the stub ends of themonorail sections 1% and 16 have been connected through the gliding switch 10. The motoristhereby deenergized at its lim- .it of operation and thedirection cont'aetor ll is also deenergized. 'The opening of the Contactor 17 causes the auxiliary switch 26 wa en'and this contactor can not be again 'onergizcd until the limitswitch has returned so that a circuit may be established through the s ients 28 and 29 thereof.

l une that the stub ends of the sections "14921110. 16 are thus connected through glid ing switch 10 and that it is desired to connectthe'stub 'ends of the sections 1% and of the monorail. The push button will be momentarily closed by the operator,

thereby energizing the direction contactor lSto close. When the directioncontactor 18 see, the maintaining circuit for the windingot this contactor is established through the auxiliary switch 27 and the segments 30 and 31 of the limit switch. The motor will be energized with the section of the split llelt'l in circuit so as to'operate in the reverse direction from that previously de- I scr bed. The operator need, make only a nionientary contact with the push button 25 With the arrangement above desoribed,.

the operator need merely press 'a p'ush'button to' cause the gliding switch to move to .the desired position and then proceed with his other duties in the operation of the crane. Furthermore, the, conductors adjacent the stub endso t the sections of the monorail may be comparatively short and the crane "may proceedpast and out of contact with these jsections afterjthe operatorhas pressed the correct push button for the desired direction "oioperation for the gliding switch.

In accordance with the provisions of the Patent Statutes, I have described the prin- "ciple or operation my invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means. I I I p g l/Vhat'I -claiinas new "and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United'States,

1. In a monorail tramway system, the

combination 'of plurality of "tracks having.

' stub ends and atrav'eling crane caroperating' thereon, a gliding switch operable between a plurality ofpositions for connect "ing the stub'ends of the tracks in various 'i'elationsfto permit operation of the crane- "car over different routes, a reversible electrio motor for operating said switch between said; positions, means including a. plurality jot selectively operable push buttons on the traveling crane car and cooperating control.

conductors along the stub ends of the tracks for energizing the motor to start operation of the gliding switch to each of said positions upon a momentary operation of a corresponding push button, and means including a limit switch operated responsively'to movement of the gliding switch for maintaining the motor energized independently of said first means until the gliding switch is operated to the selected position.

I 2. In a monorail tramway system, the combination of a plurality of tracks having stub ends and a traveling crane car operating thereon, a gliding switch operable between a plurality of positions for connecting the stub ends of the tracks in various relations to permit operation of the crane car over different routes, a reversible electric end of said tracks, electroresponsive motor reversing switch mechanism connected to said conductors, contacts on the traveling crane car located in sliding relation with said conductors, a plurality of selectively operable push buttons cooperating with said sliding contacts to establish a circuit for energizing the said motor to start operation of the gliding switch to each of said positions upon a momentary operation of the corresponding push button, and means including a limit switch'operated responsively to movement of the gliding switch for maintaining the motor energized independently of said conductors until the gliding switch is operated to the selected position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of April 1922..

i SAM H. LIBBY.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,588,244, granted June 8, 1926, upon the application of Sam H. Libbv, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, for an improvement in The Control for Gliding Switches for Overhead Monorail T'ramw'ays, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 17, strike out the numeral 18 and that'the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of July, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] 1 M. J. MOORE,

. Acting Gammz'ssz'zmer of Patents. 

